Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff

140 reviews

laraloops's review

adventurous dark funny sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I am very torn on this book. On one hand I enjoyed some of the vulgarity and unabashed horniness. On the other the sheer brooding masculinity put me off at times - I feel that there were some very very well used tropes in this one and I feel that the fact I have already seen things like The Last of Us and The Witcher made me feel like those aspects of the story I've already seen before. It's when the story diverged from these elements that I enjoyed the book more. Aaron de Costes story-line I especially enjoyed

and the fact that he did not die at various parts of the book was a surprise and probably the only reason I continued to be honest.

The aesthetics were cool, tattoos with powers and blooborne like themes were a plus. The art was also a great addition to read and see a nice depiction of the scenes and characters. 

I think at the end of the day this book was just not my cup of tea and not what I was feeling up to reading. Like an good shonen anime that just didn't click with me. I do think though that the length of the book really dragged, it took me longer than usual to finish it and 700+ pages just felt like too much. The blurb at the end of the book that I mistakenly read without realizing it was the next book did get me interested to see how the second book goes so when it's available at my library I'll probably finish it as well. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Sexual content, Violence, Slavery, Blood, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Pedophilia

Minor: Rape

dragonrid3r's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

0.5

Loved it. Started a reread before starting the sequel.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Gore, Addiction, and Drug use

Minor: Animal death

laneylane573's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark funny sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death, Violence, Body horror, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, and Grief

aladybug19's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Empire of the Vampire is masterfully written. I would gush more about this book but I think going into it with as little information as possible is the best course. This book keeps you at the edge of your seat when it’s not making you weep for the characters.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Death, Religious bigotry, Torture, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Violence, Addiction, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Homophobia, and Gore

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Pedophilia, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

thatphdstudent's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Animal death, Violence, War, Homophobia, and Addiction

cluelessjr's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Animal death, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, and Drug use

inkwithimagination's review

After much thought, I've decided to DNF this book. I can't bring myself to continue reading it despite a lot reader singing praises about this book. It's really stressing me out. I'd rather spend my time reading another book than this one.

The constant misogyny, sexual content, and insulting portrayals of women on almost every page make me uncomfortable continuing. I understand that some foul language, sexual content, and even sex scenes can be part of a story, but does it have to be on every page? And what's with that d*ck & prostitute joke? That's too much. I've read a lot of grimdark fantasy, and while many include foul language and brutal deaths, this one made me uncomfortable and gross, especially in the way the author wrote about girls and women.

This sadden me because I really had high hope for this since i really like the premise of the story but disappointed by how it was written. If you love the book then good for you ,but it's definitely not for me.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Misogyny, Death, Rape, War, Sexual assault, Violence, Child death, and Sexual content

amy14's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Animal death, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Classism, Gore, Blood, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gun violence, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Medical trauma, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Torture, War, Slavery, and Vomit

booksalacarte's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Empire of the vampire- 4.75⭐️ 3🌶️

Epic Fantasy

Vampires

Catholic inspired religion

Storytelling style narration

Confinement

Secret society 

War

🏳️‍🌈 side characters

Tw: addiction, homofobia

To break it down to the bare minimal… this was an interview with the vampire styled story with dual timelines and a flawed MC. The story was slow, as journeying can be, but entertaining the whole time.

So often male authors, choose to sanitize the softer emotions in their books, to push the physical. Moving the plot forward for the glory and the heroism of their main character. As a woman, the more sterilized approach to emotion in men’s writing, tends to turn me away… 

This book is anything but emotionally sterile. I found myself enjoying the emotional and spiritual journey of the main character and the friendships and bonds created and broken.

There were so many plot twists. Character flaws were aplenty. 

I must have the humor of a 14 year old boy, because some of the insults and jokes had me chuckling.

The things that I didn’t enjoy include misogyny  standard to European medieval feudalism centered around religious orthodoxy. If you thought a book that was inspired by medieval Catholic Europe was going to be without it being present, I don’t know what to tell you. But it’s there, it’s never fun to have to read in excess. But it’s an adult fantasy, with cursing and I get it.

Bad guys as pedophiles. Yup. Tracks. But the other underage sexualization was not great. A lot of times this is used as a chance to show how disgusting the enemy is. And it’s just gross all around… even when the MC is underage. 

I am so looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Addiction, Blood, Toxic relationship, Violence, Homophobia, Outing, Religious bigotry, Bullying, Cursing, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Drug use, Grief, War, Confinement, Alcoholism, Animal death, Hate crime, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Stalking, Body horror, Torture, Excrement, and Adult/minor relationship

susanatherly's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Blood, Drug abuse, Violence, Torture, Sexual content, Child death, Sexism, and Cursing

Moderate: Gaslighting, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Gun violence, Drug use, Torture, Suicide, Child death, Biphobia, Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Death of parent, Death, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Outing, Kidnapping, Drug abuse, and Classism

Minor: Genocide, Vomit, and Slavery